I don’t think the author is suggesting ignoring it, but rather to not throw effort after foolishness. As said, extending a hand across the aisle is an act that must be performed by both parties and they’ve already signaled, just as with Obama, they’re not interested in working together. They’re already promising to be as obstructive as they can get away with.

That leaves Democrats holding out empty hands while time ticks by and opportunities are lost. Awk.ward.

So don’t ignore it. Be aware of it. Wait and hope for them to come around. Be ready to grasp a hand they extend. If that moment comes, take that hand warmly and with open mind and heart and don’t begrudge the gesture. Until then, don’t stand around waiting for them to quit pouting and throwing tantrums. Just get on with it. There’s too much work to do and we don’t have time to waste with this nonsense.

Now, there’s a difference between political yammering from either party and what voters want and why they vote the way they do. It seems to me that the best way to reach rural voters is to get to work. And then let them know regularly what you’ve done for them. Use metrics specific to their area and keep up to date. Pretty soon they’ll start to turn around. Two other commenters brought up valid points. There is a void of Democratic leadership in rural areas, so Democrats have become alien to rural voters. Money thrown at programs does not seem to be solving problems and more and more is always requested. Why continue to throw dollars at something that clearly isn’t working as designed?

Tackle these two problems and let rural voters know what you’ve done for them, and you’ll start to see a shift. I’m thinking the Biden administration can do this by tasking an individual from every district to write a weekly column in the local papers, city webpages, social media, etc., to do just that. Keep people up to date. Keep it real so they hear something besides Republican spin and demonizing. In fact, as I think about it, if it were me, I’d find someone to represent every generation, even ones who can’t vote yet, to reach out to their peers for each district. And I’d keep it demographically diverse, like his cabinet.